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Boardman seeks to make township more walkable
By Jessica hardin
BOARDMAN
Only a handful of Boardman students walk to school, but with the help of the Safe Routes to School program, the township is trying to increase that number.
The program, which is administered through the Ohio Department of Transportation, funds infrastructure improvements that encourage students to walk and bike to school.
Nearby communities, including Lowellville, Poland and Canfield, have taken advantage of the program.
The program allows local governments to apply for up to $400,000 to fund infrastructure projects. The ODOT grants do not require a match.
Boardman has been working with the school district, the Mahoning County engineer, the county Board of Health and Eastgate Regional Council of Governments to create a transportation plan, called Connecting Boardman.
Tricia D’Avignon, assistant director for zoning and development, said that the team sought input from parents too; more than 500 responded.
Because only 25 percent of the township’s roads have sidewalks, installing sidewalks will be a major component of the plan.
For example, at a public meeting Tuesday, attendees discussed the possibility of connecting Glenwood Avenue to Hitchcock Road.
The township is also promoting walkability through zoning. It requires new developments and businesses, such as Meijer, to build sidewalks.
The plan will also include projects such as making sure crosswalks are well marked and installing flashing 20 mph lights at each school.
“We consider schools to be huge assets to the community. ... We want to make sure they are places that are easy to get to,” said D’Avignon.
The team intends to submit its plan in the next week and plans to apply for funding in the next grant cycle, which runs from January to March.